Guwahati: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday called upon the Centre to declare the Assam floods as a "national disaster" and take up relief work on emergency footing.

"The way flood happens here every year and this year it has been pretty bad ... all the lakhs who have been displaced, who are without food, without clothes, without a home, at such a time the central government should declare it as national disaster," CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat said here.

Blaming the Centre and state government for not taking prompt steps to alleviate the suffering of over 29 lakh people who have been affected by the third wave of floods to hit the state this year, Karat said, "Here (in Assam) the system has come to a standstill."

She said CPI(M) cadres have been asked to mobilize resources for helping the flood affected people.

"It is a shame that neither the Central government nor the Assam government have dealt with the situation with the kind of urgency that is required", she said.

"There are reports from upper Assam that people are not even getting foodgrains. Then it is a very critical situation. And this has to be taken as an emergency. It is a national disaster," she added.

Karat also lambasted the Tarun Gogoi led Assam government for coming out in support of FDI in multi-brand retail.

"The Assam government cannot do anything to help the farmers when they are affected by flood, now they say Walmart is going to help the farmers. What can be more bankrupt than such an understanding?"

"The government of India cannot do anything to help our farmers and they want Walmart to come and help them. It's a painful commentary on this government," Karat said.(Agencies)